About the name Matey / Matthew
Etymology & meaning
Matey comes from the Hebrew Mattityahu — "gift of God", the same meaning the Slavic world renders as Bozhidar. Through the Greek Ματθαῖος the name entered every European language.
History & patron saint
The patron is the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew (16 November) — the former tax collector Levi whom Christ called from the customs bench, author of the first Gospel. His iconographic symbol is the angel — first of the four evangelic figures.
Traditions & customs
The name day is late autumn, at the start of the Nativity Fast — the table is traditionally Lenten, the treats homely and quiet.
Popularity & notable bearers
Matey is a classic enjoying a second youth — after decades of rarity it is now among the fashionable choices for newborn boys; the Revival monk Matey Preobrazhenski adds historical lustre.